Massage therapist jailed in rape investigation

LYNNWOOD — A massage therapist working in Lynnwood was arrested Tuesday on rape allegations involving a client.

Steven Lee Cook, 64, of Edmonds, was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of second-degree rape, a felony. His state Department of Health massage practitioner license expired in May, records show.

The health department also received a complaint regarding Cook’s license on Wednesday and launched an investigation, a spokesman said.

Police allege that on July 6, Cook held down a client and sexually touched her.

The woman, 43, told him to stop and tried to wrestle away, according to the arrest report. He also allegedly kissed her upper leg.

As the woman was leaving the building, Cook reportedly asked her forgiveness. He told her he wanted to get dinner together and that he didn’t want to lose her as a client, police wrote.

She told detectives that Cook left voicemails on her cell phone the next day asking for forgiveness.

Police alleged that he made repeated calls to the woman, and he admitted to investigators that he’d called her twice.

Cook reportedly told detectives that he had touched the woman’s genitals but it was an accident. He denied most of the other allegations.

Cook has no serious criminal history in Washington and no previous complaints against his professional massage therapist license.

He told police he worked as a truck driver until this year, when medical issues forced him to make a career change in recent months.